Happy Morbid Thanksgiving – Victorian Era Citizens Spent Holidays With the Dead!
Steve Barton
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The best part of Thanksgiving (other than massively stuffing yourself with yummy bits of food) is spending time with family. In the 1800’s it didn’t matter if they were alive or dead.
You see, when a person died back then, having his or her remains taken care of was a lot different than it is today. In ye olden days, before the bodies got shipped off, it was common practice to call in an artist and a photographer first. The result of doing so became known as Memento Mori photography, which served as a reminder of mortality.
Bodies of the deceased would be arranged in various poses via pullies, kickstands, and other various apparatuses, and sometimes eyes and even smiles were painted on the faces of the corpses to depict life. The results of this are thoroughly chilling, sad, and undoubtedly disturbing.
Check out some truly creepy depictions below.
